Mumbai: 30 per cent vacant police posts, Mantralaya overstaffed

The city police force has been grappling with a 30 per cent overall staff vacancy, but a major cause of concern is the shortage of staff in crucial departments including the traffic police department which has a 34 per cent vacancy and the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) which faces a staggering 47 per cent vacancy. Despite these departments handling pressing issues for Mumbaikars, it appears that addressing these vacancies is not a government priority. Meanwhile, Mantralaya, housing administrative offices and the Chief Minister's Cabinet have 34 per cent more staff than sanctioned, the response to an RTI query revealed.

According to the response to the RTI query filed by activist Jeettendra Ghadge, there is a huge disparity between different units of the Mumbai police force. The reply made a shocking revelation that the Mantralaya security, responsible for safeguarding the state government's administrative headquarters, operates with 34 per cent more junior police staff than the sanctioned strength (sanctioned-385; working-519). In contrast, the traffic police, responsible for ensuring the smooth flow of traffic in the city face a severe shortage, with 34 per cent less personnel than the sanctioned number (sanctioned-3,835; vacant-1,326). A similar situation is observed in the Economic Offenses Wing (EOW), where 47 per cent of junior police officers' positions are vacant (sanctioned-346; vacant-164). Notably, the LA-5 Kole Kalyan unit experiences the highest vacancy rate at a critical 90 per cent (sanctioned-1,003; vacant-902).

A Praja Foundation report states Mumbai police is facing an overall 30 per cent staff shortage. File pic

Addressing the issue of vacancies in the traffic department, a senior traffic police officer stated, "The vacant positions pose serious concerns for traffic management, but the existing staff is working diligently to handle the city's traffic. A recent recruitment drive has concluded and the new recruits are undergoing training, a process that will span another two years before they officially join the police department. Additionally, we've recently brought in staff from the Maharashtra Security Force (MSF) to help address the crisis."

According to a Praja Foundation report, out of the 52,044 sanctioned police personnel posts, only 36,425 had been occupied, resulting in a 30 per cent shortage of personnel. The overall shortage in police personnel has increased from 28 per cent in 2022 to 30 per cent in 2023.

The report highlights a significant 59 per cent vacancy in the crucial technical department which provides support to police investigations, with only 2,416 out of 5,846 sanctioned posts filled. Similarly, the special branch (II), responsible for passports, operates with 30 per cent less staff, resulting in citizen complaints about passport delays. Joint Commissioner (law and order) Satya Narayan Chaudhary has addressed the passport delay issue through a special drive.

Meanwhile, the crime branch, handling serious crime cases, faces a 26 per cent staff shortage and the city police control room operates with a 24 per cent staff deficit, putting extra pressure on working staff. Additionally, the armed forces reported a 25 per cent staff shortage, while security and protection face a 39 per cent deficit, and the motor transport department operates with a 59 per cent staff shortage. The report also shows a 28 per cent shortage in supervisory level officers, including additional commissioners, DCPs (deputy commissioner), ACPs (assistant commissioner), PIs (police inspector) and APIs (assistant police inspector).

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As per information obtained through RTI, 20 per cent of the DCP positions, often occupied by Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, remain vacant (sanctioned-42; vacant-8). Additionally, 20 per cent of police sub-inspector roles, which play a pivotal role in crime-solving and criminal prosecution, are unoccupied (sanctioned-1,978; vacant-404). The situation is particularly dire in the crucial South Zone, the heart of the city and home to numerous VIP residents, where a staggering 43 per cent of lower-rank police force positions remain unfilled (sanctioned-4,295; vacant-1,847).

Activist Jeettendra Ghadge of the Young Whistleblowers Foundation pointed out that "the government's priorities are clear, given that it has prioritised Mantralaya and VIP security over managing Mumbai's traffic. Junior police staff are the foot soldiers who play a crucial role in maintaining Mumbai's security. However, due to Mumbai's growth in recent decades, the sanctioned strength is insufficient. The government should prioritise the safety and security of its citizens over its own and urgently fill the vacant posts".

Sources in the police department said that recently they have written to the government to seek 3,000 personnel from the MSF to manage the crises but have got only 600 in the first batch while 300 were given to the traffic police department and others were deployed to the local arms unit. "Recently 8,000 personnel have been recruited and now they are undergoing training which will take two years to get them posted in the department. In the Mumbai police force, every year around 1,500 constabulary rank personnel get retired and by the next two years, we will have 3,000 vacancies created. The government keeps having recruitment drives but the process is long," said a senior officer from Mumbai police.

90%
Vacancy rate in LA-5 Kole Kalyan unit